HIS Karate-Do

The latest article on the Asai Shotokan Association International blog has an interesting perspective on the Tekki katas by Yokota Sensei; but I really wanted you to take a look at two of the photos contained therein. You’ll find the article at: http://asaikarate.com/category/asai-blog-english/ The two pics are around 3/4 of the way down into the Tekki article. The first is from an early JKA tournament showing Mikami Sensei having just launched a lightning-fast lunging gyaku-zuki, which the nimble Asai Sensei has evaded via a flying taisabaki, likely followed by one of his whip-like counters. Please note how different the jyu-kumite attacking gyaku-zuki is to the basic gyaku-zuki we teach beginners. The photo immediately following this one, is a fine example of a well-executed front thrust kick stopping the incoming attacker in his tracks. Note that this is not the basic snapping mae-geri, and that it involves throwing one’s weight forward of the supporting leg (slightly pivoted), with the hips thrusting in the hanmi position. While the throw-weight and full locking extension of the kicking leg increase the technique’s power, the foot pivot, acute angle of the supporting leg, and center-of-gravity forward shift also extend the effective distance of the kick. [...]

I often mention how fortunate we all are these days, as we can access all kinds of videos with regards to Karate-Do on Youtube. Recently, I was reading an article on the legendary teacher, Asai Sensei, which then linked me to a video of him demonstrating some of his amazing techniques and drills. Anyways, while perusing Youtube, I happened upon a video of a half hour interview from 1986 with our old teacher, Kenneth Funakoshi, recorded shortly before he moved to the mainland. Of course, I had seen this interview before and if you have good eyes, you can even find me somewhere in several of the short clips interspersed in the interview (no glasses and much longer hair back then 🙂 . However, since my own personal VHS copies of the 10 Tape series had actually disintegrated many years ago, I believe that this was the first time I’d seen the interview in perhaps 25 years. Oh, the magic of the internet! Here is the video: Instead of reviewing a boring lecture on technique or kata, it’s very easy to hear him just talking story at the beach – wearing his karate gi 🙂 Sensei was still pretty young [...]

The practice of Karate-Do is pretty much limited to one appropriate time and place – at the Dojo. I’ve always joked that if you ever performed kihon on a busy street, people would probably stare and then make a big detour around you, haha. Personally, I rarely ever show my techniques, though I’m known to unconsciously move my free hand in and out of a tate-shuto-uke while on the phone or my hips may sometimes start rotating or tilting while I’m standing and waiting somewhere. This is a bad habit, like your uncle or grandpa, practicing with an imaginary putter and golf ball while in the living room. I do try to control this, as we all know that the practice of the art has its appropriate time and place. Over the years, however, I can recall four times where I witnessed someone performing karate movements (Shotokan, no less) in the most unexpected places. The first time was shortly after I joined the KAH some 45 years ago. Early one morning, I was taking the long walk to class from the UH Quarry parking lot. Suddenly, The corner of my eye detected some vague distant movement, which caught my attention. [...]